Readers' Roundup March 2013

Quarter Century Cruiser

While used Mustangs have generally been an affordable first car, usually within the reach of a teenager with a summer job, classic Mustang prices have climbed considerably in the years since Lonny Milliren bought his '67 coupe for just $100. Milliren, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was just 16 and living in southern California when he bought the Mustang for daily transportation. A San Jose-built, V-8 coupe that spent its whole life in California (Lonny bought it from the original owner) is a steal at $100, even if it was 1987. A running, driving, V-8 coupe today would easily set you back $3,000 to take it home and put your name on the title; maybe more depending upon location and options!

With the Mustang being a daily driver for over two decades, Lonny kept the 289 stock and left the C4 automatic in the tunnel, just as it came off the line in northern California. The coupe saw duty through high school, college, and into Lonny's adult years. However, Lonny was bitten by the modification bug, and a few short years ago, started tearing into his trusty old friend with wild abandon. Performance under the hood-as well as at the wheels-was foremost on Lonny's modification checklist. To that end, Lonny began with a TCI front suspension conversion, giving him rack-and-pinion steering, coilover shocks, and 11-inch disc brakes in one fell swoop. Out back, Lonny added matching discs and fresh suspension components.

Now, with all that room under the hood, you'd think Lonny might have had his eye on a modular engine swap or a big-block. Instead, Lonny went tried and true with a stroker small-block Windsor, taking a 351 out to 393 cubes. Lonny built the engine himself from a bare block-his first ever-using top parts like Canfield heads and a Comp camshaft. Cooling the beast in the Vegas desert is made easier with a modern cross-flow radiator conversion and twin electric cooling fans. The engine has been topped with a FAST EZ-EFI system (after these photos were taken) for modern-like driveability. Backing the Windsor is a Tremec five-speed manual transmission conversion with hydraulic clutch setup for the utmost in driver control and comfort. Out back, a 9-inch hands the power off to the rear tires, which most likely do a pretty poor job of keeping the Mustang moving forward when Lonny nails the throttle-the 393 Windsor is said to be good for 480 hp and 462 lb-ft of torque.

Lonny is extremely happy with how his restomod buildup has come about, and he's looking forward to many more years behind the wheel of the Mustang he's owned for 25 years now. If you'd like to see more details of Lonny's Mustang be sure to check out his YouTube video he made (a quick two-minute walk around). You can find it by typing in this URL to reach it directly: